Coin-controlled apparatus for telephones



(N0 Mqdel.) 2 SheetsSheet l.

W. GRAY. GOIN CONTROLLED APPARATUS "FOR TELEPHONES. No. 408,709. I A Patented Aug. 13, 1889.

N. PEILRS. Pbnlwlilmgrlphur, Washington, 0,1;

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. GRAY. 00m CONTROLLED APPARATU$ FOR TELEPHONBS.

N0. 40.8.7091 Patented Aug. 13, 1889.

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' UNITED I STATES PATE T OF ICE,

WVILLIAM GRAY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

COIN-CONTROLLED APPARATUS FOR TELEPHONES.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 408,709, dated August 13, 1889. v

Application filed August 13, 1888. Serial No. 282,676. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM GRAY, of Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Coin-Controlled Telephone Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, whereby any one skilled in the art can make and use the same.

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus that may be used in connection with a telephone as a pay-station, the said apparatus being provided with a coin-controlled lock thatprevents the sending of messages, while it will allow them to be received.

To this end my invention consists in the combination of the magneto-bell (meaning by this the completerapparatus usually designated by that name) with the coin-controlled locking device; and it further consists in details of the severalparts of the apparatus and their combination, as more particularly hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of a set of telephone-instruments with a connected coin-controlled apparatus, with parts of the latter broken away to show construction. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a modified form of the same, shown as connected with the crank of the magneto-bell. Figztis a detail side view of the latter construction.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A denotes the set of apparatus as a whole,

including the telephone-transmitter, magnetobell, and local battery that are usually mounted 011 a single board, but in any event electrically connected in each station where the telephone is used. The magneto-bell B is operated for the purpose of calling by pressing in upon the button 0 and turning at the same time the crank d in one form of bell. In another form the service'is so arranged that a single turn of the crank is suffi'eient to call the central station. In the style of bell in which the button 0 is used there is secured to the side of the bell-box, as by means of screws, a cover e, having within it a sliding guard f, connected by arod g with the lever 72, that is pivoted within a closedbox H. This box is secured upon one side of the set of instruments, but near enough to them so that the arm-support c is in convenient position to serve as a rest for the arm, and this support i is mounted on the end of a lever 2", that is connected by a rod 2' with the lever h, so that when the tumbler j is tilted, so that its inner end is lifted out of contact with the arm h on the lever h, the latter may be tilted by pushing down upon the arm-rest, and this downward movement of the arm-rest and tilting movement of the lever h will slide the cover f out of the way, so as to give access to the button a and enable any one to push it in. The outer end of the tumbler j projects into a coin-channel k in suchposition that a coin dropped into the channel will tilt that end of the tumbler downward and lift its other end out of the path of movement of the arm h on the lever h. vA spring Z is secured to this 1ever It in such position as to hold the cover f normally over the button; but so long as the outer end of the lever t" is depressed, as by means of the arm of the user of the telephone, the button will remain uncovered and easy of access. In case the first call is not answered from the central office the user of the telephone can, while keeping his arm upon the arm-rest and so holding the button uncovered, hang up the telephone on on the hook m and again call the central office by turning the crank b and pushin gin the button in the usual manner. As soon as, however,pressure upon the lever 'L" is removed, the cover f is pulled across the opening f and closes it, so as to prevent access to the push-button c. In order to again use the call-bell it will be necessary to drop another coin into the coin-channel.

In cases where it is desired to control the call-bell by protecting the crank against access the box D, which constitutes the guard, is pivoted to the side of the boX B in such manner that in its lower position it will cover and protect the crank from access; but to the side of this boX D is pivoted a lever 02, that is connected on its inner endito atilting lever h, within the box H, that has within it the tilting lever, dog, and spring, and is provided with a slotrchannel, as in the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; but in either apparatus, however, in case it is not desired to use an arm-rest, the end of the lever h may be connected by means of a rod 0 with a treadle p. The user of the telephone, after having released the lever h by means of a coin dropped into the box H, pressing with his foot upon the treadle p, can keep the crank of the call-bell uncovered until he has finished using the telephone.

It will be seen that this apparatus enables a person to use the telephone when the station is called without the payment of any fee; but that it will prevent a person from using the bell, so as to call another station, except after having paid the toll or fee by dropping it into the coin-box.

I claim as my invention 1. In con1bination,a movable guard to prevent access to the crank or button of the telephone, a tilting lever having an arm, a rod scribed.

WILLIAM GRAY. Witnesses:

CHAS. L. .ZURDETT, CHARLES SoBY. 

